VA Secretary Doug Collins chosen as designated survivor

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins was chosen to be the designated survivor for President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.

The designated survivor is the person in the line of presidential succession who does not attend the joint session of Congress in case something devastating happens, since nearly the entire line of succession is in the House chamber for the event.

Mr. Collins, a former congressman from Georgia, is 17th in line for the presidency. He will be in an undisclosed location during the address.

Under former President Biden, the last designated survivors included the education secretary in 2024, labor secretary in 2023 and commerce secretary in 2022.